Angularly and rotatably adjustable work holder and support therefor



Nov. 4, 1952 w, 35am, 2,616,464

ANGULARLY AND ROTA'TABLY ADJUSTABLE WORK HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed NOV. 19. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l "o n; a: 3mm.-

'vfilltam TI Bea-'23, J1,

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Filed Nev. 19, 2948 Nov. 4, 1952 w. 'r. BERRY, JR 2, 6,

ANGULARLY AND ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE WORK HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR 4 Sheets-:Sheet 2 Mfilliam 1. fiprzy, Jr.)

ATTORN EYJ- NOV- 4, 1952 w BERRY, JR 2,616,464

ANGULARLY AND ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE WORK HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 19, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Fil ed Nv. 19,..1948

Nov. 4, 1952 w. r. BERRY, JR 2,616,464

ANGULARLY AND ROTATABLY.

WORK HOLDER AND SUPPORT. THEREFOR 4 Sheets 'Shee't 4 A'r'ro R NEYS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANGULARLY AND ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE WORK HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR William '1. Berry, Jr., Bassett, Va., assignor to .Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated,

Bassett, Va.,,a corporation of Virginia Application November 19, 1948, Serial'No. 61,088

.monorail type having suspended monorail trays carried by the monorail.

The object of this invention is to provide a Work holder suitable for adjustable mounting on the vertical supporting framework of each monorail tray so that the work holder may be used to hold the work piece in a multiplicity of posi tions in order that work such as sanding, surface finishing, or decorating may be easily, quickly, and conveniently accomplished, and so that'the work holder may be secured in a collapsed, out-'of-the-way position when it is desirable to use the conveyor system only for the purpose of moving material on each tray along the conveyor.

More particularly, the invention provides a work holder and support therefor for use with a conveyor of the monorail type having a vertically disposed support suspended from the monorail with a horizontally supported conveyor tray carried by the support at its other end. On the vertically disposed support is fixed a vertical guide or slide and at the base of this support is a fixed pivot point having a linkage member such as a rod, bar, or strip pivoted therefrom. The other end of this red is pivotally fixed to a mounting base preferably intermediate the ends thereof, the other end of the base adjacent the vertical support being connected to one end of a second rod, Secured to the other end of this second rod is a second bracket to which is secured a collar or slide block for adjustably cooperating with. the heretofore mentioned vertical guide. On the mounting base is removably fixed a Work piece holder which may hold a work piece in a plurality of positionsin order that work of the type previously described may be accomplished.

.In the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate the same part in each figure,

Figure 1 is a side view of the complete work holder, a work piece held by thevholder, and a supporttherefor usedin conjunction with a monorail conveyor system,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the work piece adjustably held in a horizontal position,

Figure :3 is a similar view showing the work ,piece removed and the work holder vadjustably heldlinan'outwf-the way .cr collapsed position Figure 4 is an end View looking in from the right side of Figure ,1,

Figure 5 is a top or plan View of the adjustable collar and pivot used in Figures 1-l,inclusive.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional side view of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a sectional View of the adjustable feature of the work holder used in Figures 1-4 inclusive,

Figure 8 is an end view of Figure '7 showing the mounting of Figure 7 in conjunction with the mounting base and the removable work holder,

Figure 9 is a modification of Figure '7,

Figure 10 'is a view through line Ill-ii) of Figure 9,

Figure 11 isamodification of Figure 5 and is a side view,

Figure 12 is a View taken through the line E2-i2 of Figure 11,

Figure 13 is a view taken through the line i3-l3 of Figure 11, and

Figure 14 is an end view of Figure 11 looking from the direction indicated by the arrow.

In order to more completely describe applicants new and novel adjustable work holder and support therefor, reference will now be had to the drawings and in particular to Figures l4=. An overhead monorail l of a conveyor system which is not shown in its entirety since it forms no part of this invention, has a vertical support indicated as a whole at 2 consisting of two diverging beams 3,depending from the monorail i, as best shown ,in Figure A, and a horizontally supported tray 4 "held by .the lowerends .of the diverging supporting members 3, as shown in Figure 3. Fixed to'and joining these two diverging beams are two transversely extending supporting or bracing members 6 and 5 which hold a vertically disposed or located guide l. .At the foot of the vertical support 2 adjacent the tray 4 are brackets forming pivot points 8 to which are pivotally connected a pair of supporting rods 9. As shown, the brackets are mounted on the tray but they may be secured to the beams 25. .The other end of these rods are pivotally connected at It to opposite sides of a mounting base H, preferably intermediate the ends thereof. A single rod i2 is fixed at one end to the supporting base I i in any suitable manner andpivotally held at its opposite end, as shown at I3, to an adjustable collar I4 adapted tohave adjustable sliding movement onthe guide I.

With reference 'toFigures 5 ,and figit will :be noted that the pivotediendof rod 1.2;is bifurcated to form arms ,I 3' whichreceive.betweenthem the extension 15 on the collar I4. The arms l3 and extension I5 are pivotally connected by a lifting handle I6, the reduced end portion I! of which extends through openings in the said arms l3 and extension l5 and has its free end threaded to receive the holding nut Ill. The slide block or collar I4 has an opening I9 therein for slidably receiving the guide 1 and a transverse extension 26 therefrom which has an opening 2| extending into elongated opening I9. Within the transverse section 20 is slidably held a locking pin 22 having a detent 23 on one end thereof for cooperating with a series of aligned longitudinally spaced recesses located along the length of guide I, one recess 24 only being shown. The pin 22 has a knob 25 fixed on the other end for disengaging the detent 23 which is normally held in a locked position by the compression spring 26 located about the pin 22 between the detent 23 and a flange shoulder 21 defined by the inner end of extension 20.

If desired, the locking device or adjustable ratchet of Figures 11-44, inclusive, may be used with sleeve l4 in place of the device shown in Figures 5 and 6. In Figures 11-14, inclusive, it is seen that bifurcated arms 28 extend from the collar l4 and pivotally retain the end of supporting member I2 between the arms by means of threaded bolt 29 and nut 36. Members [9-21, inclusive, correspond to like numbered parts of Figures 5 and 6. Also extending from collar 14 and extension 20 are two supporting flanges numbered 3| and 32 respectively, which pivotally support, by means of pin 33, a lifting handle 34, the lifting handle being fixed to the pin or dowel 33 for movement about the axis of the pin. A spring 35 attached at one end to a bracket 36 extending transversely from the lifting handle 34 and attached at the other end to a second bracket 3? normally holds the lifting handle 34 in an out-ofthe-way position. However, when it is desirable to adjust the position of a work piece in a different position, the lifting handle 34 may be swung about its axis to a suitable or convenient lifting position.

One form of the removable adjustable work holder is shown in particular detail in Figure 8 and also in Figures 1-4, inclusive. On the top of the mounting base H are fixed two diverging angle irons forming a tapered keyway 38, the

direction of the divergence being towards the fixed end of rod l2 in order to removably receive a cooperating wedge shaped plate 36 which has a vertically extending column 40 fixed vertically to it. The column 40 has a projecting flange or enlargement 4| forming a shoulder 4| for rotatably supporting a channel shaped supporting member 42 about a reduced round fixed extension 43 of column 40. On each end of channel 42 are fixed a pair of angle brackets 44 which support and hold a work piece such as tabletop 45 by means of screws 46 or other known fastening devices from the underside or unfinished surface. Fixed to the channel member 42 such as by welding is a ratchet block 41 having an opening 48 therethrough for cooperating with the reduced round fixed extension 43 of column 40.

In Figure 7 is seen one type of a ratchet looking device mounted in ratchet housing 4'! for al lowing selective swivel adjustment adjustable allocation of a work piece such as table top 45 about the axis of 43, housing 41 being part of the work holder. A hole 49 extends completely through the length of ratchet block 41 and meets hole 48 transversely. Within 49 are located two shafts 50,

4 each having a detent 5| for cooperating with recesses cut in extension 43. The shafts 50 are spring loaded by springs 53 which are about shafts 50 between detents 5| and rings 54 snapped into the ends of ratchet block 41 about shafts 50.

In Figures 9 and 10 is shown a second type of a selective adjustable ratchet locking device as used in ratchet housing 41. Within housing 41 is an opening 55 which is tapped at 56 at one end and which transversely meets at its other end opening 48. Within hole 55 is located a shaft 5! having at one end thereof a detent 58 for cooperating with a plurality of recesses 59 located about the circumference of extension 43 and similar to recesses 52 but of a less rounded nature. At the other end of shaft 51 is an externally threaded adjusting knob 60 which cooperates with threads 56 and rotatably holds shaft 5'! in hole 6|. A spring 62 is located about shaft 57 between detent 58 and the threaded adjusting knob 60 for holding detent 53 in a normally selected locked position in one of the recesses 59. By adjusting the position of knob 66, the compression of spring 62 is controlled thus allowing ratchet block 47 to be held non-rotatably in its selected position about the axis of column 40. A bolt 63 and washer 64 may be used to hold ratchet block 41 and hence the work piece 46 attached to block 4'! in position by means of tapped hole 65.

This work holder and support therefor is particularly advantageous for use in a furniture factory. In such an industry it is desirable to have a work holder for use with a conveyor system which will allow the work piece to be moved along the line to various stations as finishing Work is done on its surface. In finishing furniture surfaces it is desirable in such operations as sanding and applying stains and gloss finishes, to have the Work piece supported so that all portions of it may be easily reached in both the horizontal and vertical positions in order to avoid, in particular, sags in the finishing material. Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to remove the work piece quickly in order that either other work pieces may be mounted for work thereon or in order for the support piece to be folded in an out-of-the-way position so that the conveyor system may be utilized for the handling of furniture or packing cases as shown in Figure 3, 66 being an example of an article carried by the conveyor. The unique way in which the device heretofore described accomplishes these operations is believed to be readily apparent and no further comments as to its operation are deemed necessary.

Although this device was developed in the furniture industry, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the support could easily be mounted on any supporting member, such as a wall, for use in many operations other than those carried out in the furniture industry where it is desirable to have an adjustable work holder and support therefor.

The terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. An angularly and rotatably adjustable work holder and support therefor having a vertically disposed support adapted to be suspended at its upper end, said support including a vertical guide, an adjustable collar on said guide, a rod pivotally connected at one end to said collar, a supporting base attached to the other end of said rod, :3.

second rod pivotally connected at one end to said base and pivotally connected at its other end adjacent the other end of the support, a tapered keyway mounted on said base, and a Work holder received in said tapered keyWay and having a part thereof mounted for rotation with respect to said base, said collar and said rods being movable to adjust the position of the base relative to said support.

2. An angularly and rotatably adjustable work holder and support therefor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said work holder comprises a wedgeshaped plate received in said tapered keyway, a column carried by said plate, and work holding means including means for rotating the same about the axis of said column.

3. An angularly and rotatably adjustable work holder and support therefor as set forth in claim 2, wherein means are provided for locking the work holding means to the column at various positions in its rotative movement.

WILLIAM T. BERRY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

